Process of treating match-splints.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. FAIRBURN, FREDERICK V. D. 'CRIJ'SER, AND WILLIAM GREEN, OF BAR- BERTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE DIAMOND MATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF TREATING MATCH-SPLINTS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. FAIR- BURN, FREDERICK V. D. Carmen, and WIL- LIAM GREEN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Barberton, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Treating Match-Splints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of treating splints, having reference especially, to the drying or partial drying of impregnated match splints, z. 6., splints which have been partially or completely saturated with a solution of chemicals of a nature to prevent the glowing of the splints after the flame has been extinguished.

The objects of our invention are, first, to accomplish in an economical and efficient manner the drying or partial drying of wet impregnated splints, and, secondly, to effect the drying and paraifining of the splints at a single operation. The term paraflining is used herein in a broad sense comprehensive of the application to the splints of any unctuous vehicle for the efficient transmission of the flame from the igniting material to the body of the splint.

In carrying out our invention, in the manufacture of matches having impregnated splints, the splints previously cut in any usual or approved manner, are immersed in a hot or cold solution of a suitable material, such as boric acid, alum or both, the depth and period of immersion of the splints being suflicient to effect their requisite impregnation. The splints thus impregnated, are held in spaced relation to each other and immersed in a bath of suitable material which is impervious to Water, such material being kept at a temperature sufiicient to drive the solvent from the splints in the form of steam or vapor, which latter as rapidly as it is generated is removed by a suitable exhaust. Inone mode of practising our invention the bath comprises melted oils, fats, waxes, petroleum products, or similar bodies, or mixtures of the same; a specific example being liquid paraffin kept at a temperature of, say, 300 to 320 Fahr. After the solvent has been expelled from the splints they are withdrawn from the bath and the paraflin which has been absorbed by the splints is permitted Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

Application filed February 10, 1912. Serial No. 676,895.

to solidify. By the use of parafiin, or similar' material, the splints are not only effectually dried Without deteriorating or lessening the eflicacy of the non-glowing salt or salts with which they are impregnated, but such splints, upon solidification of the paraflin therein, are in condition to receive directly the usual igniting head composition or compositions. In another mode of practising our invention the bath comprises a fusible alloy which is kept at a temperature sufiiciently high to dry the splints but not to char the wood of the splints. alloy that will fuse at a low enough temperature to dry the splints and not char the Wood may be employed. A good alloy for the purpose consists of bismuth, 2 parts; lead and tin, 1 part each. This specific alloy will melt at about 200 Falir. In still another mode of practising our invention We .pass the Wet impregnated splints through a bath of mercury kept at a temperature sufficiently high to dry but not char the wood of the splints. In still another mode of practising our invention We pass the Wet impregnated splints through a bath of sand, shot, or other non-fusible particles, either metallic or non-metallic, kept at a temperature shfiiciently high to dry but notchar the wood of the splints.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the broad and characteristic feature of our invention consists in impregnating the splints with a solution of chemicals adapted to render them non-glowing, and in subjecting the splints, while held in spaced relation to each other, to the action of a bath of material which is impervious to water, such material being kept at a'temperature sufficiently high to drive the solvent from the splints in the form of steam or vapor.

By way of illustration we remark that an eflicient means of employing our invention in the manufacture of matches, is to assemble the splints, produced in any suitable manner, in dipping frames or holders, and then, either by manual or by mechanical opera-tion, subject the assembled splints to the treatment hereinbefore described Where a continuous match machine, in-

Any'

eluding in its construction an endless chain I (either as directly out from the block or as delivered from a hopper in which they are loosely contained) and thereby held and carried in spaced relation to each other through the match making path, is employed, there is preferably arranged adjacent the splint-inserting station and beneath the route of the endless chain, a suitable tank containing the solution for impregnating the splints. The tank is so disposed that the depending splints on the chain are immersed in the impregnating bath, the bath being of suflicient length and depth to secure satisfactory impregnation of the splints thereby. If the solution used be very hot, say, 200 F., more or less, the steam or vapor evolved from this impregnating bath is preferably exhausted to a remote point of discharge so as to draw 01f the vapor and avoid any liability of its condensation on the chain of plates. For" this purpose an exhaust pipe leading from the tank may be employed. After passing through the impregnating bath, the splints are allowed to remain in the air for a predetermined period, and they are thenpassed into and through a second tank containing the ma- "terial impervious to water, kept at a higher temperature than the first or impregnating bath, which impervious bath drives out the solvent in the splints as steam or vapor. This steam or vapor is'removed by means of a suitable exhaust pipe leading from the second tank.

The mechanism just described will form the subject of a separate application for patent.

We claim- 1. The process of treating splints which consists in impregnating them with a solution of chemicals adapted to render the splints non-glowing, and then subjecting the wet impregnated splints, while held in spaced relation to each other to the action of a bath of material which, is impervious to water, the said bath being maintained at a temperature sufiicient to expel the solvent from the splints in the form of steam or vapor.

2. The process of treating splints which consists in impregnating them with a solution of chemicals adapted to render the splints non-glowing, and then subjecting the wet impregnated splints while held in spaced relation to each other to the action of a bath of liquid parafiin which is maintained at a temperature sufiicient to expel the solvent from the splints in the form of steam or vapor.

3. The process of treating splints which consists. in impregnating them with a solution of chemicals adapted to render the splints non glowing, subjecting the wet impregnated splints while held in spaced relation to each other to the action of a bath of liquid parafiin which is maintained at a temperature sufiicient to expel the solvent from the splints in the form of steam or vapor, exhausting such steam or vapor as rapidly as it is produced, and finally permitting the solidification of the parafiin which is incorporated in the splints.

Signed at Barberton in ,the county of Summit and State of Ohio this 7 day of Feb. A. D. 1912.

WILLIAM A. FAIRBURN. FREDERICK V. D. CRUSER. WILLIAM GREEN.

Witnesses:

E. O. JAooBs, B. 0. Ross. 

